Century 21 Real Estate Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2026)
Century 21 Real Estate is a global real estate franchise known for its extensive network of agents and comprehensive services, providing clients with expert guidance and support throughout the buying, selling, or renting process.
KEY FRANCHISE STATS
Franchisees
?
1685
+
-7%
-7%
Franchise fee
?
$25,000
Investment
?
$36,000 - $473,000
Revenue (AUV)
?
Undisclosed
$0
+
n.a.
n.a.
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Century 21 Real Estate LLCis a globally recognized residential and commercial real estate franchise. It was founded in 1971 in Santa Ana, California, by Art Bartlett and Marsh Fisher.
Today, the company is headquartered in Madison, New Jersey. Century 21 began franchising shortly after its founding and experienced rapid growth throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
The brand now operates in more than 86 countries, with approximately 14,250 independently owned and operated offices and over 147,000 affiliated sales professionals. It provides real estate brokerage services, including residential, luxury, commercial, and international property transactions.
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The initial investment required for a Century 21 Real Estate franchise is
$36,000 - $473,000.
That is the total cost you would need to finance if you were to start this franchise.
These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.
Century 21 Real Estate provides two standalone office formats in Item 7: Conversion Office and Start-Up Office.
Office Format
Initial Investment Range
Conversion Office
$35,770 - $286,100
Start-Up Office
$117,270 - $473,400
The following table presents the estimated expenditures for the Conversion Office format.
For further details concerning the listed costs, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).
Expense Item
Amount
Initial Franchise Fee
$0 - $25,000
Real Estate
Not included in total
Leasehold Improvements
$0 - $105,000
Computer Equipment and Electronic Data System
$6,000 - $12,000
Signs – Exterior
$750 - $25,000
Yard Signs/Posts/Frames,
$5,200 - $10,000
Open House Signs
$800 - $2,000
Miscellaneous Rider Signs
$250 - $500
Name Badges (approx. 7 to 70)
$120 - $400
Miscellaneous
$250 - $500
Other Advertising, including Grand Opening Promotion
$0 - $10,000
Legal Expenses
$0 - $4,000
Office Supplies and Stationery
$5,100 - $7,500
Website
$0 - $30,000
Multiple Listing Services
$0 - $3,000
Data Feed Transmission
$0 - $5,000
International Leadership Academy
$1,800 - $2,200
Insurance Deposits and Premiums
$500 - $4,000
Additional Funds (3 months)
$15,000 - $40,000
Total Estimated Initial Investment
$35,770 - $286,100
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Century 21 Real Estate provides two standalone office formats in Item 7: Conversion Office and Start-Up Office.
Office Format
Initial Investment Range
Conversion Office
$35,770 - $286,100
Start-Up Office
$117,270 - $473,400
The following table presents the estimated expenditures for the Conversion Office format.
For further details concerning the listed costs, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).
Expense Item
Amount
Initial Franchise Fee
$0 - $25,000
Real Estate
Not included in total
Leasehold Improvements
$0 - $105,000
Computer Equipment and Electronic Data System
$6,000 - $12,000
Signs – Exterior
$750 - $25,000
Yard Signs/Posts/Frames,
$5,200 - $10,000
Open House Signs
$800 - $2,000
Miscellaneous Rider Signs
$250 - $500
Name Badges (approx. 7 to 70)
$120 - $400
Miscellaneous
$250 - $500
Other Advertising, including Grand Opening Promotion
$0 - $10,000
Legal Expenses
$0 - $4,000
Office Supplies and Stationery
$5,100 - $7,500
Website
$0 - $30,000
Multiple Listing Services
$0 - $3,000
Data Feed Transmission
$0 - $5,000
International Leadership Academy
$1,800 - $2,200
Insurance Deposits and Premiums
$500 - $4,000
Additional Funds (3 months)
$15,000 - $40,000
Total Estimated Initial Investment
$35,770 - $286,100
Franchise Disclosure Document
Below is Century 21 Real Estate's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. Sign up for free to view the document.
Number of units
Century 21 Real Estate had 1685 total units in 2026, of which 1685 were franchised-owned and 0 company-owned.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the royalty fee of
Century 21 Real Estate
?
The royalty fee for a Century 21 Real Estate franchise is 6.00%. In addition, you would have to pay the advertising (or national brand fund) fee of 0.50%.
What is the total investment of
Century 21 Real Estate
?
The initial investment required for a Century 21 Real Estate franchise is $36,000 - $473,000. That is the total cost you would need to finance if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.
What is the initial franchise fee of
Century 21 Real Estate
?
The initial franchise fee for a Century 21 Real Estate franchise is $25,000. This is typically paid upfront as part of the total initial investment, after signature of the Franchise Agreeement.
What is the AUV of
Century 21 Real Estate
?
Century 21 Real Estate does not disclose the average unit volume
(average revenue) in its FDD.
The average unit volume (average revenue) for the
Century 21 Real Estate franchise is
$0.
The average unit volume for Century 21 Real Estate is available.
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Century 21 provides several structured training opportunities to help franchisees successfully operate their offices and integrate into the CENTURY 21® System.
Initial Training (International Leadership Academy - ILA) Attendance at the ILA program is mandatory for all new franchisees opening their first CENTURY 21® office. It must be completed within 24 months of the office’s opening date, and can be attended by either the franchisee or an approved designee.
Training for Transferred or Branch Offices Franchisees acquiring offices through assignment/transfer or opening branch offices must bear the cost of attending the ILA program. While ILA is not required for branch office purchases, it is highly encouraged.
Continuing Assistance and Education CENTURY 21 provides ongoing updates, improvements, and changes through bulletins, electronic communication, phone consultations, or in-person visits. They also offer optional educational seminars, conferences, and online courses, which may incur fees and require the franchisee to cover travel and related expenses.
Territory Protection
Century 21 grants a limited territory protection to franchisees, specifically a "protected area" defined as a ¼-mile radius from the franchisee's office location. This protection means no other Century 21 franchisee will be granted a location within that radius.
However, this does not prevent other franchisees from seeking clients or listings in the same market, nor does it stop Century 21 from using alternative sales channels like the internet.
Although the franchisee has a localized area where no other physical franchise can be opened, the protection is not absolute. Century 21 reserves the right to allow other franchisees or company-owned operations to compete within the broader area outside the protected radius.